The present invention relates to a plastic part that is slidably mountable on a support.
It is known that the body parts of an automobile are attached to the automobile structure by mounts that hold them in position during all the phases of automobile manufacture subsequent to their installation and throughout the life of the automobile.
It is also known that one of the automobile manufacturing steps subsequent to the installation of body parts is the cataphoresis step which includes immersing the entire automobile in a bath, body parts included, then placing the automobile in an oven at a temperature of approximately 180.degree. C. and 220.degree. C. in order to rustproof the automobile structure and all the metal parts it includes, as well as the painting that includes a baking period at a temperature of approximately 140.degree. C. and 170.degree. C.
These operations are specified for body parts made of sheet metal.
On the other hand, body parts made of plastic do not withstand such treatments well, particularly that in which the paintwork is baked.
During such heating, the plastic parts expand to far greater degrees than those to which the automobile structure expands so that there is a substantial expansion differential between the automobile structure and the body parts attached thereto. Because of this, the plastic body parts deform and buckle or ripple, adversely affecting the appearance of the automobile.
Moreover, expansion differentials appear during the life of the automobile so that the parts can reach temperatures of approximately 80.degree. C., something which must also be taken into account when the body parts are attached to the automobile structure.
Finally, another problem appears due to the shrinkage of the thermoplastic parts, once they have been heated, over time, a phenomenon known as post-shrinkage, resulting in displacement of the body parts relative to the automobile structure, independently of the expansion differential phenomena.
To overcome these drawbacks, mounts are used that allow relative sliding of a body part relative to the automobile structure. Such mounts are known as "sliding mounts."
However, known sliding mounts have numerous drawbacks, including:
their cost, which is fairly high, PA1 the fact that, when body parts are installed on the automobile structure, it is necessary to pre-position them to engage the mounting elements in their accommodations.
The goal of the present invention is to provide a body part having an integrated mounting system, allowing it to avoid the drawbacks listed above, while having other advantages that will emerge from the description hereinbelow.